Construction safety screen system

ABSTRACT

A construction safety screen system includes a flexible net member sized to cover an opening of a building, a plurality of straps attached to the flexible net member, and a plurality of oval snap hooks each being securable to the distal end of one of the plurality of straps and to one of a plurality of fasteners attached to the concrete building structure surrounding the opening.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This non-provisional patent application is based on provisional patentapplication Ser. No. 61/931,181 filed on Jan. 24, 2014.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to safety screens for use during buildingconstruction and, more particularly, safety screens for preventingconstruction workers from falling from edges of building precipices.

DISCUSSION OF THE RELATED ART

Current Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safetystandards require temporary installment of protective rails at buildingconstruction sites for preventing construction workers from falling fromedges of building precipices, including windows, balconies, stair wellsand elevator shafts. Generally, an arrangement of two-by-four boards isnailed and/or fastened to the deck (e.g., slab) to support a tophorizontal rail at forty-two inches high in order to at least partiallyobstruct the opening in order to prevent construction workers fromaccidentally falling. A significant disadvantage of this well knownpractice is the limited coverage of the opening, and limited protectionprovided by the 42 inch high protective rail. Consequently, this widelyused method minimizes accidental falls but does not prevent them.

While other safety practices utilizing restraints for preventingaccidental falls have been developed, they have largely remained unusedin the construction industry for various practical reasons. One exampleof an attempt to address the problems associated with presently used 42″protective rails can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,758,306, whichdiscloses a construction safety screen that is securable aboutworker-area precipices. However, the '306 construction safety screenrequires a variety of different fasteners, which are not adapted for usewith commonly used tools and can be costly and complicated to install.Moreover, the '306 construction safety screen includes a net border thatis size-specific and limits flexible use with different sized openings.

Accordingly, there remains a need for a construction safety screensystem that is easy to install and which provides complete floor toceiling coverage for preventing accidental falls.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

Considering the foregoing, it is a primary object of the presentinvention to provide a construction safety screen system for preventingaccidental falls from edges of building precipices.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide aconstruction safety screen system that is adjustable for accommodatingdifferent sized openings.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide aconstruction safety screen system that is re-usable.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide aconstruction safety screen system that is lightweight and durable.

It yet a further object of the present invention to provide aconstruction safety screen system that can be quickly and easilyinstalled and removed using standard tools.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are morereadily apparent with reference to the detailed description andaccompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a construction safety screen systemincluding a flexible net member sized to cover an opening of a building,a plurality of straps attached to the flexible net member, and aplurality of snap hooks each being securable to the distal end of one ofthe plurality of straps and to one of a plurality of fasteners attachedto the concrete building structure surrounding the opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention,reference should be made to the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the construction safety screensystem of the present invention affixed to the opposing side walls,ceiling and floor portions of a building edge surrounding a wallopening;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the construction safety screensystem of the present invention affixed to the opposing side walls andfloor portions of a building edge surrounding a wall opening;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the construction safety screensystem of the present invention horizontally affixed to opposingconcrete slab portions of a building edge surrounding a floor opening;and

FIG. 4 is an isolated side elevational view, shown in particalcross-section, illustrating a fastener in connection with an oval snaphook.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several viewsof the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Throughout the several views of the drawings, the construction safetyscreen system of present invention is shown and is generally indicatedas 10.

Referring initially to FIG. 1, the construction safety screen system 10includes a flexible net member 12 sized to cover an opening 100, such asa wall opening, at the edge of a building precipice, a plurality ofstraps 14 attached to the flexible net member 12, a plurality offasteners 16, such as masonry fasteners, each being structured to beanchored to a building edge surrounding the opening 100, and a pluralityof oval snap hooks 18 each being securable to the distal end of one ofthe plurality of straps 14 and to one of the plurality of fasteners 16attached to a building edge 102 surrounding the opening 100. In oneembodiment of the construction safety screen system 10, each of theplurality of straps 14 is adjustable for allowing a user to pull theflexible net member 12 taut between the edges of the opening 100,thereby permitting the net member 12 to be adjusted to accommodate thesize of a particular opening 100. The spacing between fasteners 16 isdependent upon the tension and shear values between the fastener and thespecific type of substrate (e.g., concrete slab; concrete masonry unit)to which the fastener 16 is secured.

The flexible net member 12 is surrounded by a flexible frame border 20made from a resilient, flexible material, such as nylon rope. Theflexible net member 12 is made from a resilient, flexible material, suchas polypropelyne, and may be arranged in a pattern within the flexibleframe border 20 leaving gaps 23 between individual segments 21 of theresilient, flexible material. The gaps in net member 12 serve to permitflow of wind therethrough for avoiding wind resistance hazards.Moreover, the gaps between individual segments 21 of the resilient,flexible material are sufficiently sized to prevent passage of anindividual's body. In one embodiment, the flexible net member 12includes individual segments 21 of resilient, flexible material alignedin a 2″×2″ grid.

Still referring to FIG. 1, the fasteners 16 are installable to theceiling and floor portions, typically made from concrete slabs 101, ofthe building edge of a wall opening 100 using a standard electricallypowered drill.

Referring to FIG. 2, the construction safety screen system 10 may besecured to edges 102 of opposing sidewalls at an opening 100 usingfasteners 16 in connection with straps 14. As further shown in FIG. 2, awire 22 may be used as an attachment point for securing a side of thenet member 12. A turnbuckle 24 in connection with wire 22 is used foradjusting the tension of the wire 22 after installation of the wire 22.A plurality of snap hooks 18 each in connection with one of a pluralityof straps 14 are releasably securable to the wire 22. Use of a wire 22is ideal for instances wherein there is no ceiling portion to which afastener 16 can be secured to or wherein the ceiling structure isconsiderably high (e.g., 25′ ceiling) or not suitable for securing afastener 16 to (e.g., scaffolding or cat walk structure).

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a kick plate 26 (as required by OSHAstandards) is installable above the floor portion to which the fasteners16 are secured. One or more apertures 28 are included along the lengthof the kick plate 26 to permit passage therethrough of one of theplurality of straps 14, which is secured to a respective fastener 16 bya snap hook 18.

Referring to FIG. 3, a net member 12 may be horizontally affixed toopposing concrete slab portions of a building edge surrounding a flooropening. For example, exposed roof and floor openings duringconstruction can be fully covered by a net member 12 to prevent a workerfrom falling through the opening. As shown in FIG. 3, the fasteners 16must be installed at a sufficient distance away from the opening topermit overlap of the net member 12 relative to the concrete slab 100 inorder to complete cover the exposed opening.

Referring to FIG. 4, a fastener 16 is shown in conjunction with a snaphook 18. In one embodiment, the fasteners 16 are ¼″ diameter, 1¾″ longfasteners and the snap hooks 18 are ¼″ diameter oval snap hooks.

Each of the net member 12, plurality of straps 14, plurality offasteners 16, and plurality of snap hooks 18 are re-usable, making theconstruction safety screen system 10 of the present invention costefficient.

The construction safety screen system 10 is designed to meet and exceedthe standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA) standards for temporary guardrail systems.

While the present invention has been shown and described in accordancewith preferred and practical embodiments thereof, it is recognized thatdepartures from the instant disclosure are contemplated within thespirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A safety apparatus for covering an opening in abuilding structure; said safety apparatus comprising: a net having anarrangement of cord segments forming a plurality of openings and saidnet having at least one peripheral edge, and said net being sized,structured and configured to substantially block the opening in thebuilding structure to prevent a human body from passing through theopening; a net securing assembly for holding the net taut in blockingrelation to the opening in the building structure, and said net securingassembly including: a plurality of fasteners structured to be anchoredto the building structure adjacent to the opening; a plurality of strapsattached to the at least one peripheral edge of said net at spacedintervals along said at least one peripheral edge and in correspondingalignment with said plurality of fasteners; a plurality of hook memberseach being structured and disposed to be secured to one of saidplurality of straps and a correspondingly aligned one of said pluralityof fasteners; and wherein said net is stretched and held taut inblocking relation to the opening by said net securing assembly.
 2. Thesafety apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said cord segments areformed of a resilient, flexible material.
 3. The safety apparatus asrecited in claim 2 wherein said net further comprises a flexible frameborder along said at least one peripheral edge.
 4. The safety apparatusas recited in claim 3 wherein said net includes four of said peripheralside edges.
 5. The safety apparatus as recited in claim 4 wherein saidflexible frame border is formed of a resilient, flexible material. 6.The safety apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said plurality ofstraps are each adapted to be adjustably secured between said flexibleframe border and the corresponding aligned hook member.
 7. A safetyapparatus for covering an opening in a building structure; said safetyapparatus comprising: a net having an arrangement of cord segmentsforming a plurality of openings and said net having at least oneperipheral edge and a flexible frame border along said at least oneperipheral edge, and said net being sized, structured and configured tosubstantially block the opening in the building structure to prevent ahuman body from passing through the opening; a net securing assembly forholding the net taut in blocking relation to the opening in the buildingstructure, and said net securing assembly including: a plurality offasteners structured to be anchored to the building structure adjacentto the opening; a plurality of straps attached to said flexible frameborder of said net at spaced intervals along said at least oneperipheral edge and in corresponding alignment with said plurality offasteners; a plurality of hook members each being structured anddisposed to be secured to one of said plurality of straps and acorrespondingly aligned one of said plurality of fasteners; and whereinsaid net is stretched and held taut in blocking relation to the openingby said net securing assembly.
 8. The safety apparatus as recited inclaim 7 wherein said net includes four of said peripheral side edges. 9.The safety apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said plurality ofstraps are each adapted to be adjustably secured between said flexibleframe border and the correspondingly aligned hook member to pull the nettaut within the opening of the building structure.